Apparatus for smoking frankfurters



H. MAASS Filed 001;. 18, 1938 APPARATUS FOR SMOKING FRANKFURTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HAWJ MAAII ATTORNEY @Ci. MAASS APPARATUS FOR SMOKING FRANKFURTERS Filed Oct. 1a, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SMOKING FRANKFURTERS Hans Maass, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application October 18, 1938, Serial No. 235,613

5 Claims.

This invention rel-ates to apparatus for smoking frankfurters.

In smoking frankfurters, that is, in the preparation of the frankfurters for consumption, they are usually suspended over a hickory stick. It has been found that frankiurters smoked in this manner have often :proven to be unsatisfactory because of the contact of the frankfurters with the stick, preventing the contacting portions of the frankfurters from becoming properly smoked, such portions sometimes becoming rancid and improper for food consumption. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide apparatus of the character described having means to insure proper smoking of the entire frankf-urter.

Another object of this invention is to provide highly improved apparatus of the character de-' scribed, which shall be easy to manipulate, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a side, elevati-onal View of apparatus for smoking frankfurters, embodying the invention, with parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; j v

Figure 3 an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, cross-sectional View through a portion of the apparatus, showing the frankfurters suspended on the hickory stick, in one position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the frankf urters lifted upwardly to another position by the apparatus;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the cableholding means, with one end of the cable secured therein; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating a modified construction.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I0 designates apparatus embodying the invention for smoking frankfurters. The same comprises a frame II having similar, symmetrical, parallel,

vertical side portions I2, interconnected by a plurality of transverse strips I3 as more especially shown in the drawings. Each side portion I2 comprises a top strip I 4, a bottom strip I5 7 and vertical trout and rear strips I6.

The vertical strips I6 of each side member I2 5 ing on the horizontal flange or wall 20 of mem- 20 ber I8. The hickory sticks 22 extend from one side portion I2 to the other, and may be of generally square transverse cross-section, but the top, bottom and sides of said stick are formed with longitudinal curved grooves 23, for the pur- 25' pose hereinaiter appearing.

Pivoted .to the vertical walls I9 of members I8 are a plurality of links 26. Each link 28 comprises an outer strip 21 and an inner strip 28,

receiving the wall I9 therebetween. Pivoted to 30- the upper ends of the links 23, and received between the members 21 and 28 thereof, is a horizontal strip or member 30 parallel to member I8. One of the links in each row is provided with a downwardly extending handle 3I and with 35 an upwardly inclined arm 32, disposed at right angles to said link. The arm 32 is formed with an opening 33, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Wall I9 of member I8 is formed with an opening 34, adapted to register with the openif ing 33, when the arm 32 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, looking at Figure 1 of the drawings, to bring the links 126 to upright position. A pin 35, suspended from the frame by a chain 36, may be inserted through the register- 45 ing openings 33, 34 to maintain the links 26 in upright position.

Attached to the inner member 28 of each link 26, is a bracket 40 having a notch 4| at its upper end. Attached to each pair of aligned brackets 50 40, is a horizontal cable 42. The end of each cable 42 may be attached to a terminal or head 43, having :a central tapered opening 44 into which is wedged an end :of the cable. Elach head is provided with a cylindrical portion 45, and an enlarged annular fiange 46. The cylindrical portion 45 is received within the notch 4!, and the flange 46 engages behind the bracket for arttaching the cable to the bracket.

In Figure 7 there is shown a modified construction for the ends of the cable 42. Attached to one end of :the cable is an externally screw threaded member 50, screwed within a terminal member 5 I, said terminal member having a cylindrical portion 52, and an annular flange 53. Cable 42 may be tensioned by rotating member 5| on member 50.

The operation of the device will now be described.

During the first part of the smoking operation, the machine is in the position shown in Figure 4, with the frankfurters F suspended on the hickory sticks 22, and the cable 42 passing between the hickory sticks and the frankfurters. The pin 35 is first withdrawn from the openings 33, 34 and the handle 3| is moved in a clockwise direction, to move the links 26 in a clockwise direction about their lower pivots, bringing the members 39 downwardly toward the members I8.

It will be noted that each hickory stick is spaced to one side of the lower pivotal connection of each link. When the links 26 swing downwardly, the cables 42 will be moved to just above the hickory stick 22, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The frankfurters are then suspended over the hickory stick and the cables, and the smoking operation then proceeds for a predetermined period.

It will be noted that the portions of the frank- I'urters which contact the hickory stick are not well smoked. However, after a period, the handles 3| may be swung in a counterclockwise direction and the pin inserted through the openings 33, 34 to retain the members 3!] lifted. This operation lifts the frankfurters so that the portions of the frankfurters which were in contact with the hickory stick become exposed. The smoking operation is then continued, so that the portions which were previously in contact with the hickory stick are then properly smoked.

The longitudinal grooves 23 in the hickory stick 22 serve to reduce the amount of contact between the frankfurters and hickory sticks. Furthermore, springs 21 snap into the grooves 23, at each side of the hickory stick, to hold the hickory stick in place.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A support comprising a pair of parallel horizontal members disposed at the same level, a hickory stick having the ends thereof resting on said members, spring means on said members to hold the hickory stick thereon, a pair of links pivoted at their lower ends to said members, adjacent the ends of said hickory stick, a member interconnecting said links, and means for pivotally moving said links.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising a pair of horizontal, parallel, angle shaped members, having upwardly extending walls and inwardly extending walls, a hickory stick having the ends thereof mounted on the inwardly extending walls of said members, a pair of links pivoted at their lower ends to the upwardly extending walls of said members, a notched bracket on each of said links, a cable having means at the ends thereof to removably engage said notched brackets, said cable being disposed longitudinally of and above said hickory stick, and means for adjusting the tension on the cable.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising a pair of horizontal, parallel, angle shaped members, having upwardly extending walls and inwardly extending walls, a hickory stick having the ends thereof mounted on the inwardly extending walls of said members, a pair of links pivoted at their lower ends to the upwardly extending walls of said members, a notched bracket on each of said links, a cable having means at the ends thereof to removably engage said notched brackets, said cable being disposed longitudinally of and above said hickory stick, and a pair of springs on each of said inwardly extending walls for resiliently gripping said hickory stick therebetween.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising a pair of horizontal, parallel, angle shaped members, having upwardly extending walls and inwardly extending walls, a hickory stick having the ends thereof mounted on the inwardly extending walls of said members, a pair of links pivoted at their lower ends to the upwardly extending walls of said members, a notched bracket on each of said links, a cable having means at the ends thereof to removably engage said notched brackets, said cable being disposed longitudinally of and above said hickory stick, a pair of springs on each of said inwardly extending walls for resiliently gripping said hickory stick therebetween, means for pivotally moving said links, and means for locking said links 

